• browse through and send messages to common areas that other users can also use

• maintain online calendars, through which you can set up meetings with other users

• maintain contact databases, where you can store information about your personal contacts

• engage in instant messaging sessions with other users who are online

• organize items for easy access

• publish web pages on the Internet.

The FirstClass system consists of two parts: a server and a client that connects to it.

Servers

A server stores all your messages and documents, and the Mailbox, conference, and folder structure that contains these items. It also contains information about all the users known to the server.

Your organization may have multiple servers, and you may be able to connect to some of these servers as well. On each server, you will see the objects that the administrator for that server has given you permission to see. The server to which you normally connect is considered your home server.

Clients

Client software runs on your computer. It connects to a server, and provides the interface (such as menu commands) that lets you work with FirstClass objects.

You can use one of the following clients to connect to a server:

• a Windows or Mac OS X (Mac) client (these are included with FirstClass) that you install on your computer (this is what this help assumes you are using)

• a web browser

• a client-like plugin for Internet Explorer

• a phone

• a handheld device.

Note

This help is located on your server, and therefore describes the client version that shipped with the server. If it does not seem to describe the client that you are running, contact your administrator to check which client version you should be using.

These are the basic objects that you'll work with when you use FirstClass.

Messages

Messages are pieces of email that are sent using FirstClass. Messages may be sent:

• locally on the same FirstClass server

• through a gateway that connects another FirstClass server or another messaging system

• through the Internet to anyone who can receive email.

Documents

You can create documents in FirstClass much as you do messages. These are the differences between a message and a document:

a message

• is intended for mailing to someone electronically, and therefore includes space in the envelope for address information

• can't normally be edited after being sent (although FirstClass does let you unsend a
message)

• expires after a certain period by default (FirstClass automatically deletes expired objects)

• is automatically named with the name of the sender (for mail received) or recipient (for mail sent)

a document

• is intended for posting directly to an area where others can see it, and therefore can't be mailed

• can be edited after it has been posted

• never expires by default

• must be named explicitly

• is created based on a template that provides the default look

Uploaded files

You can upload files such as word processing and graphics files so that they are available to other users. These files can be attached to messages or placed directly in containers.

Folders

FirstClass folders work just like other folders you are used to on your operating system. You can create and name folders, then put messages and documents in them to organize your work area for easy access.

By default, objects in folders never expire.

The folder Documents is a place to put private documents, files, and so on. For organizations that used FirstClass prior to version 12.0, My Shared Documents is a place to put objects that you want to share with other users. The folder Profile (seen by organizations using FirstClass for the first time with 12.0 or later) is primarily used to store your profile information, but can also be used to store shared documents.

• is intended mainly as an online forum for the exchange of information

• has controlled access; you need to be given certain permissions to be able to see and work with it

• can be the recipient of messages

• is flagged and displays the number of unread items, when it contains unread mail

Workspaces

A workspace is a shared area where users in the same workgroup can correspond and have access to the same resources. It has the same properties as a conference, but is easier to create.

Where this help refers to conferences, it also generally applies to workspaces.

Calendars

FirstClass includes online calendars that record time commitments, such as meetings, and tasks that you need to complete. In addition to your own personal calendar, you may have access to public calendars that let you schedule meetings at mutually convenient times.

Contact databases

You can store contacts and mail lists in contact databases, to simplify addressing messages. You have a personal contact database, called your Contacts folder. In addition, you can create public contact databases for sharing contacts and mail lists.

Chats

A chat is a real-time, online discussion with another user who is currently connected to your server.

Instant messages

An instant message is an older online discussion format that predates FirstClass 12.0. It is still available to be compatible with older clients.

Your Desktop

Once you are connected to a FirstClass server, your Desktop opens. It contains your Mailbox and other standard FirstClass applications, plus any containers that you or your administrator have placed on your Desktop.

• Open the target container (the container to which you want to move the object), then drag the object to the target.

• Drag the object and hover over the target until it opens.

In some cases, you can also click a toolbar button or a button on a form, or use a keyboard shortcut. Some toolbar buttons include a dropdown arrow to the right of the button text. To perform the basic button activity, click the button text. To open a list of associated commands, click the arrow.

Tip

When choosing a menu item from a dropdown field, you can type a letter to move to the first item starting with that letter. For example, if you are choosing a font from a "Font" field, and you want Verdana, you can type v to move to the first font that starts with v.